Dear Mother of Spades
by FrancypantsIII
Summary: (RusAme/USUK Omegaverse Cardverse) The Kingdom of Clover holds strong the ideal of eternal happiness, but it seems that the King of Clover seeks his happiness in the form of a dark obsession with the King of Spades. A man of power such as Ivan is sure to get what he wants, even if the Spadian Queen is in his way.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This was originally requested on the Hetalia Kink Meme. I am not going to post the original request, as it would technically be a major spoiler alert. This takes place in an omegaverse cardverse, and due to that, I have my own personal headcanons added in. Any additional information pertaining to the chapter will be written at the bottom.

**Warnings: **None for this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters.

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><p>What separates man from beast is a suit. What brings them together is a nature.<p>

Four Mother Suits descended from the heavens when the world was born. Each possessed a mission to bless mankind with, going to each corner of the world to make their marks.

Mother Heart decorated the islands she found in crimson and mahogany, pinks and creams. Resting on the many beaches, she relaxed and spread her arms wide underneath the red and pink flags, creating the most romantic scenery of all the four lands. She taught the creatures she found to love, to care for another, and to always keep their hearts open. She brought along the idea of faith, of prayer, and worship as a way to unite the Kingdom.

Mother Diamond went to the mountains, dusting the land with golds and yellows, oranges and beiges. With the most breathtaking views, her mountains and lakes flew gold and orange banners, the inhabitants being blessed by Mother Diamond's desire and passion. Live was meant to be lived pleasurably, and the wealth of the mountain ore would guarantee that anyone living in Diamonds would be taken care of.

Mother Clover sought out the tundra, bringing greenery to the area but preserving the beautiful whites of the winter in marble castles and monuments, all decorated in emerald. Forests lined the southern region, almost guarding her snowy paradise. When she looked far across the forests to see Mother Heart and Mother Diamond to her south and west, she smiled, knowing her blessing would bring about the better side to things, and that her Kingdom would surely thrive with its sister Kingdoms close by. She gave the gift of knowledge, wanting her subjects to always know what was right. She stood on the edge of where snow met forest, underneath the banner of green and silver, and announced the land to be that of dreams, where eternal happiness will surely be found.

Mother Spade was hesitant with her blessing. The land she claimed was the most varied of all of the kingdoms, with clusters of islands, mountain ridges, plains, and deserts. She unraveled her banner of blue and purple, spreading it out like a blanket upon her land. Sapphires and amethysts glittered the land in the form of beautiful lakes and mountains, rising sturdily from the earth. She stood on the coast of her land, looking out into the glorious waves of the ocean. Mother Heart and Mother Diamond seemed so far away. When she turned around, Mother Clover was far on the other side. Seeing that her land was off by itself, she knew it needed a good blessing. She gave the land power and strength, drive and determination.

When the four Mother Suits finished with their Kingdoms, they met above the world to see their work. They told one another of their blessings, one by one.

Hearts had love, tender care, and faith.

Diamonds had passion, desire, and wealth.

Clovers had happiness, dreams, and knowledge.

Spades had power, strength, and determination.

When all the Mother Suits heard the other blessings, they realised that something was very, very wrong.

"What if one Kingdom believes itself to be the best?" Mother Diamond asked the others.

"Then Spades will put them in their place." Mother Spade said.

"Clover will surpass them." Mother Clover scoffed.

"Hearts will overrule them." Mother Heart smirked.

Mother Diamond frowned. This was not a good thing at all. The four suits were supposed to be equal, all sister Kingdoms. "How about this," Mother Diamond suggested, proposing the idea for different natures among their peoples. "...it will make the Kingdoms equal." She smiled, watching the others as they all agreed. "Natures will balance out the blessings."

Natures were given to the Kingdoms in mixed numbers, the ratios of dominating natures to submissive natures directly proportional to the strength of the blessing.

There were Alphas, the strongest of the three natures.

Then there were Betas, the least affected by the nature.

Last, there were Omegas, the weakest of the natures.

Alphas Omegas would dampen the blessings so no Kingdom would be higher than the rest. The more aggressive the blessing, the more Omegas and less Alphas. The more passive the blessing, the more Alphas and less Omegas.

"The Spades aren't the strongest." Mother Spade smiled.

"The Hearts aren't the weakest." Mother Hearts nodded.

"We are equal." Mother Diamond announced, and Mother Clover nodded in agreement.

When their work with humanity was done, the four of them returned to the heavens. Whenever a child was born, the Mother Suits kept their promises to one another and assigned them a nature, depending on the population of natures already. That was how the world was to be.

Humanity was like the pawn in the Mother Suits' game of chess.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> This chapter essentially is an intro, with a look into the lore of this setting's world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **This was originally requested on the Hetalia Kink Meme. There is not much dialogue in this installment, but there will be in the following chapters.

**Warnings: **Omegaverse

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters.

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><p>They held these meeting every year on the same date: the first of the year. It was in a different Kingdom every time, supposedly portraying the idea of unity. It was even called a unity meeting, followed by a Unity Ball. Royals from all four Kingdoms attended, specifically the King, Queen, and Jack. Usually the three dignitaries brought along a group of nobles for alliance purposes, for protection, and for comfort. Sometimes the castles would become overcrowded at these meetings, and room and board would be taken elsewhere for the stay.<p>

Agendas included nearly every topic. Food production was a smaller subject, hiding in the shadows of much larger and prominent topics such as global economics and the state of affairs. The royals were split into groups, depending on their status. Kings were in control of the military and treaties, making negotiations between Kingdoms that would hopefully benefit everyone. Queens were in control of medicines and science research, focusing on the newest innovations that could make the Kingdoms better. Jacks were in control of general domestic issues as well as the King and Queen, and always attended to stay in the know of the world. Aces attended as well, but their group meetings were more like parties, as they were ambassadors to different Kingdoms and had known the others for years. More often than not, each meeting ended up the same as they always had ended. Nothing much got done- everyone was too excited for the ball.

The most recent meeting was to be held in the central city of Clover- Moscow. Clover was a proud Kingdom with fierce seasons- winter seemed to be almost eternal, holding onto Clover tightly and refusing to let go for but a few months. Warm soups and drinks became a stable, and most families stayed inside for most of the year and turned to folk tales, stories, and, of course, music. The Clover language and culture was rather warm despite the cruel weather.

The Unity Ball, when in Clover, was always a hit. In any Kingdom, the Unity Ball was always looked forward to more than the meetings. Everyone brought their best suits and gowns to dance the night away. Fireworks always set the ball going (the Spades prided themselves in the best fireworks display in the world). Traditionally, the royals of the hosting Kingdom danced first, and most of the Kings and Queens took this as a challenge to make the best performance possible.

The playing of the four anthems on a grand piano in the Grand Ballroom of the Castle of Clover silenced the many merry-making nobles, demanding their attention to the main stage. The Omega Jack of Clover, Roderich Edelstein, was dressed in a silver tailcoat with a fanciful green lining, his hair brushed to the side and out of his eyes as he focused on each key. His fingers danced across the keys as the others in the room saluted the banners bearing the different royal crests above him. The King and Queen of Clover stood behind him and the piano, smiling at their Jack's talent.

Ivan Braginski was the King, a perfect example of an Alpha. He was tall, well-built, muscular and intimidating, but his soft smile melted his somewhat cold demeanor. While his face was soft and his smile oddly childish, he was not a man to be messed with. His usual winter coat and fur hat had been replaced by an emerald jacket and mantle, and he held a staff that was about as tall as him that encased an emerald at the top, delicately set in golds and silvers that matched the hearty crown upon his head.

The woman who was to his left was much smaller than him in both stature and width, but her personality was none to be underestimated. Elisabeth Héderváry was the Beta Queen, with long brown hair curling delicately at the ends with ribbon incorporated in a braid just above her hairline and just below where her tiara sat. While her usual dress cut away at the lower thigh to reveal black tights, she was instead wearing a long coat, decorated similarly to Ivan's.

When the Anthem of Heart was finished, Roderich lead into Diamond, then Spade, then finally Clover. The anthems had been masterfully written to blend together at the seams while letting the personality of each Kingdom shine through in their own ways.

After the Anthem of Clover finished, there was a short pause, in which the King and Queen of Clover were to make their way to the dance floor. Roderich stood from his piano and bowed politely to the applause that rang through the room, and he went over to assist his King and Queen. The Ace, none other than Ivan's Alpha sister Natalia Arlovskaya, dressed in a deep green dress with silver lace, carefully removed Elisabeth's tiara and coat as the Queen bowed, leaving the Queen in a forest green leotard with delicate silver lace designs embroidered along the side and a trail of silky green fabric trailing behind her. Ivan bowed gently and Roderich removed the heavy emerald mantle and handed it off to an attendant, removing Ivan's crown and coat as well, revealing the King's green and silver leotard, matching the one of his Queen. Ivan took Elisabeth's hand carefully and the two of them stepped off of the stage, both of them having secretly been wearing dancing shoes the entire time.

Now was the time to prove the beauty of the culture of Clover. So many times had Clover been called harsh and cruel, but Clover had a soft and gentle side. Taking their positions in the middle of the ballroom, Ivan on one knee and Elisabeth on her tiptoes, holding both of Ivan's hands, they were ready. Roderich returned to his piano, playing a soft and airy tune.

Ballet. Of course. Almost every Kingdom had their own variations of the dance, but Clover always managed to find a way to make it spectacular. Ivan and Elisabeth seemed to utterly in unison- every time Ivan took a step- on his tiptoes as well- Elisabeth seemed right there with him, gracefully floating across the floor. When Ivan held her by the waist and lifted her up, there was no struggle for balance. She was perfectly comfortable in his hands, having him twirl her as she spread her arms and let the music flow through her. Sometimes, Ivan even tossed her, but she was quick on her feet and landed softly, extending the motion in a moment of beauty. She wasn't the only one dancing, however, as when she did her twirls and spins, Ivan was doing the same, proving that even an Alpha can be light on his feet.

With the final twirl of her into Ivan's arms, Roderich played the final notes of the dance. The room applauded, making both Ivan and Elisabeth smile. As custom, Ivan planted a kiss to his Queen's lips and held her close while the other royal couples started to join them on the dance floor for the next dance. When Ivan pulled away, the two of them smiled softly and went to change into more formal attire.

Ivan couldn't help but glance toward the Spades. He set his jaw, keeping his usual smile and trying not to break character. The woman wrapped around his arm was his Queen, but that didn't stop her presence from feeling cold and empty to his heart.

When Ivan returned, he noted at how the other Royals had been joined on the dance floor by various nobility. Residents from all four Kingdoms were there. Clover (of course), Heart, Diamond and Spade.

Speaking of Spades, their king was rather young, the youngest king of all four kingdoms, but was determined to make his kingdom the greatest of the four. His name was Alfred F. Jones, a name very well known to be associated with drive and spirit. The charm of the Alpha King was apparent with his wheat-blond hair, youthful face, strong and powerful build, a sun-kissed body and that absolutely _divine_ scent. He always seemed to smell of the faintest leather, smoke of a barbecue, and the warmth of the summer sun. He was perfect in every way, from how he laughed to how his face scrunched up when he tasted caviar, from how curiously he sipped the kvass to how innocently he pouted.

The only bad part about him was that he had that Omega on his arm. Reality came crashing back in. Alfred had a Queen, a mate. It was a damn shame that such a beauty of a man had to be an Alpha in a position such as King that forced him to his mate. The manner in which the Spadian royalty was chosen was no different than the other three Kingdoms. The royals were chosen by the respective Suit Mothers, the four goddesses bestowing the mark of the suit on the fated royals' bodies when the previous royal died. The Suit Mothers gave everyone in their respective Kingdoms their natures as well and were worshiped because of that power by the common people. Mother Spade was the goddess that had chosen Alfred as a royal, and she had done a fine job with that decision. The farm boy had been picked at the growing age of fifteen and planted on the throne. He was too perfect to not be a royal. However, she had also chosen the son of a merchant to be Alfred's Queen.

Why Mother Spade had chosen Arthur Kirkland as Queen, Ivan would never know. He, himself, had been blessed by Mother Clover when he was very young, but that decision he never doubted. He never doubted Mother Clover. It was Mother Spade that seemed to get things messed up. Alfred had deserved to be a Clover. Unsure of what made him think this way, Ivan couldn't help but spend so much of his time and focus on the younger Alpha.

Ivan had been redressed in a suit and his coat and had been sitting up on his temporary throne (the real one was in the appropriately-named throne room and this one was for show) just studying the crowd. At least, that was his excuse. He kept a close eye on the boy in the indigo and gold mantle, watching him sway with the man in purple. Such a curious pair. Alfred certainly didn't seem to be a normal Alpha. Resting his chin on his hand, Ivan watched closely at how Alfred didn't seem to mark Arthur with his scent all that often unless they had been in conversation. Alfred's stance in general seemed a bit off- not by much, but just by the slightest weight balance that Ivan was...irked.

Irked. There was no other way to word it.

Why was Ivan spending so much time focusing on Alfred and Arthur? In reality, he should've been watching Elisabeth and Roderich dance. After all, his own Queen and Jack had mated, (as it wasn't required for King and Queen to be mates in Clover), and the two as a couple was a rather charming idea. Elisabeth had her hand on Roderich's waist and lead him through such a classic of Clover, the waltz, and it was heartwarming to see Roderich rest his head on her shoulder. Now that was a bond that was true.

….Why was it that Elisabeth, a Beta, appeared to be more of an Alpha than Alfred?

Perhaps Ivan was merely imagining it. But... the idea of Alfred seemed so alluring. Was it just Ivan's instincts trying to tell him that he should find a mate? After all, he was getting older, and he did want to have a pup, even if the child wouldn't be the true heir to the Clover throne. But why would he be spending so much time focused on Alfred? It wasn't like Alfred could be pupped. Not only was Alfred an Alpha, but already had a mate. Hell, Alfred probably already pupped Arthur and he hadn't started to show yet. That was surely the case.

Maybe Ivan was just attracted to the idea of the perfectly imperfect Alpha. Even though he already radiated the highest standard, something about Alfred's childish ways made Ivan almost a sort of jealous. Alfred was young and naive, which was certainly not fitting for a King, but for a carefree young man. Mother Spade had chosen such an odd King for a reason, and a reason Ivan didn't quite understand. While Alfred seemed like he was going to be the perfect boy for royalty, he certainly had a few quirks about him. It wasn't that those quirks were bad, they were just...odd.

Whatever was different with Alfred, Ivan was going to find out. He wanted to know why his mind was constantly brought back to his face, his body, his scent... and maybe Ivan could get a bit of a closer look.

"...It's time for a walk." Ivan muttered to himself, getting up from his place. Perhaps he could bring Alfred out to the gardens for a King to King talk.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **This was originally requested on the Hetalia Kink Meme. This part was originally the second chapter and then a third of the third chapter, but I have combined them so the next chapter is not so confusing.

**Warnings: **Omegaverse, mention of yaoi and possessive urges.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters.

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><p>Alfred and Arthur danced decently enough. Enough.<p>

"Heh, having fun, Artie?" Alfred chirped, his hand on Arthur's waist and the other holding his hand. He was leading, as any other King- any other Alpha- would. He glanced down here and there, trying to make sure he made the proper steps. Somehow, he always managed to step on Arthur's feet here and there.

"You-" Arthur snapped at him quietly, readjusting Alfred's had to put it in the proper position. "-hand stays here." He huffed, holding Alfred's hand firmly at his side. "Not on my arse- right here." He looked away, his cheeks tinting a soft pink.

"I'll take that blush as a yes!" Alfred laughed softly, nuzzling his face against Arthur's, washing a fresh new splash of his own scent. There. Arthur was his, if everyone didn't know already. They already smelled so strongly of each other, as all mates did.

Ivan hated that.

Why was Alfred's beautiful scent spoiled by Arthur's? Arthur smelled of the sea, the salt hitting Ivan so hard that he swore he could taste it. His scent had a strong vein of tea leaves soaked in rum, a bad combination to the Clover King. What did Alfred see in it? He must be blinded by it- perhaps Arthur threw the salt in his eyes.

Making his way to the purple and blue-clad couple, Ivan smiled warmly. He needed to be nice if he wanted to get Alfred to himself. He had the decency to wait for the song to end and Arthur to break off to talk to the Hearts. Arthur had long been friends with the Beta Heart Queen Kiku, and it was often that when Arthur wasn't with Alfred, ruining the Spade King's appeal, he was with Kiku. It wasn't all that common for Alfred to be alone, for he usually ended up with the Omega Jack of Spades after that. In fact, now that he thought of it, Alfred was almost never alone from what Ivan could see. Even during meetings when the Kings were supposed to be alone, Spade had made it some sort of exception to bring the Jack along with, even though the Spade's Jack was an Omega. Having an Omega in a room full of Alphas was never a good idea.

After Alfred and his Jack, Wang Yao, were seated at the designated table for Spades, Ivan approached from the side, placing a gentle hand on Alfred's shoulder.

Alfred practically froze. Mother Clover must've blessed Ivan with the gift of ice.

"Comrade- care for a stroll?"

Ivan smiled at Alfred, refusing to let any sort of desire slip through. Not yet. He then glanced to Yao, as if to ask the King's company for permission to take him. It wasn't like Ivan needed permission from a Jack, especially not an Omega Jack. Yao shivered lightly, trying to keep it unnoticeable. Ivan's smile may seem warm to Alfred, but past experiences with the Clover King killed the warmth of the smile to Yao.

"I...erm, I should really ask Arthur." Alfred muttered after a bit.

"Why should an Alpha need permission from his Omega?" Ivan questioned, and after he brought it up, Alfred agreed across the board to join him. The look on Yao's face showed obvious disapproval, begging Alfred to reject, but in the depths of his heart, he knew Alfred couldn't oppose to the offer.

Perfect.

All Ivan had needed was a yes.

Before long, Ivan brought Alfred out into the gardens. Their scents seemed to belong out there in the tulips. Alfred's smoky scent warmed up Ivan's scent of mint and the slightest tint of vodka. It was perfect. Like a delicious dinner with a sundae on the side- they fit together so well, if it weren't for Arthur's scent getting in the way. Figuring out what was so off about Alfred would be a hell of a lot easier without Arthur seemingly constantly hanging around Alfred. Ivan hoped the scent of the tulips would freshen them up enough that Arthur's scent would fade away. He was wrong.

"Do you ever enjoy a walk at night?" Ivan asked softly, leading Alfred around the cobblestone walkways. Even though it was usually cold in Clover, the gardens had been heated so they could have fountains and flowers abundant.

"Not really. Sometimes I walk through our rose garden with Artie- he likes roses a lot." Alfred shrugged, looking around. "Hey, you have any roses? I could get him one! One time Francis gave him a lily from Diamonds, but I think Arthur'd like roses more."

Right away, Alfred had brought up Arthur. Hearing Alfred's words seemed to sting in his chest, growing stronger and stronger with every mention of the Spade Queen. Why did it hurt? Why was the idea of Alfred with another mate getting to Ivan like this? Alfred wasn't supposed to be with Arthur. He...No, it just didn't work. It was wrong. Their bond smelt so sour- did Alfred really think that Arthur's scent was sweet? Alfred's scent was sweet! Sweet and sour may work when it came to cuisine of the eastern Spade region, but not when it came to mates!

"Nyet." Ivan hid as much of a sigh as he could. "We do not have roses here." He needed Alfred's mind off of the sour Omega. "I...have a question, Alfred." He looked off down the path, his hands behind his back as he strode.

"Uh, yeah, bro?" Alfred looked over at him, his vocabulary slowly slipping back into one that was not fit for a King, but rather the adorable young man that Alfred truly was. Nineteen was not the age of a King, but of an innocent young man with all the hope in the world. Why Arthur had practically drilled his more refined way of speaking into Alfred would always be confusing. Why would Arthur try to change his mate? An Alpha should never change to the Omega's preference! Arthur should find himself lucky to be with Alfred, not taking it for granted.

Ivan turned to face Alfred, a seriousness in his eyes that only came with matters close to the heart. It was sincere, as if something had started to melt him from the inside. "Why do you let Arthur control you?"

"What?" Alfred blinked at him a few times, feeling cornered even though Ivan's demeanor had warmed up to be more inviting that anything else. It was his words that were intimidating. "I don't know what you mean- I'm a free man!"

Adorable.

"You are free to do anything." Ivan mumbled, turning back to the path and strolling forward, checking behind him every now and then to make sure Alfred was following. Alfred was slower and more hesitant before, but once he seemingly noticed, he was right back in pace with the taller Alpha. "And yet, you seem so dependent."

"Arthur's the dependent one!" Alfred quickly huffed, his hands on his hips as he puffed his chest out, as if to display his strength. He didn't need to display it- Ivan could see it. He could smell it. Alfred seemed a bit average for an Alpha, as if Mother Spade had shorted him on the natural muscle end of the gene pool, but Alfred took what he had and flew with it like the eagles of his nation's crest. "A-Arthur practically begs to be with me at all times! He's clingy- refuses to be anywhere without me- and he won't let me be my own man- he insists I smell like him at all times and-"

"Should be the other way around."

"Yeah! He should smell like me all the time!" Alfred ranted a bit, and all points he brought up were suitable for ranting. The topic wasn't the issue, it was the tone. The heart. Alfred said those words, but it was almost as if he didn't believe them. They were empty. Meaningless.

"Alfred." Ivan turned to Alfred, studying his face and reactions.

"...Yeah?"

"...Why are you lying to me?"

Alfred grew visibly paler. "I-I'm not lying...! I swear!"

Ivan took a few steps closer, making the Spade King back up against one of the ivy-covered tone walls. Warmth form the heated wall rippled through Alfred's skin, but Ivan's stare send shivers up his spine. He looked Alfred up and down, reaching forward to brush a stray strand of amber hair from the boy's face. Ah, moments like this reminded Ivan of how young the other Alpha was. So childish, so sweet...

And then there was that Spade on Alfred's neck. Proof that he was the Alpha King of Spades. Ivan leaned closer to look at the mark up-close, not even breathing a word. One of his hands ended up at Alfred's hip, holding him gently yet firmly in place. He couldn't have Alfred squirming off, now could he? Alfred's breath caught in his throat, his heart beating fast in his chest. Ivan brought his face to Alfred's neck, not exactly scenting him, but getting a clearer whiff of Alfred's off scent. What was so wrong with it? Ivan was so close, he could just about wrap his hands around it.

"Alfred!" A voice snapped, followed by a flurry of footsteps. Two sets, even. The Spade Queen and the Jack were running through the gardens, following the smoky scent of mint. Why was Alfred always just out of reach? "Get your hands off him!" Arthur snapped, him and his Jack approaching the frustratingly awkward scene. Ivan had been holding Alfred to a wall by the waist with his face buried in the other's shoulder, Alfred trying to squirm away as far as he could. Arthur was having none of this! It was plain across his face that he was aggravated, something so very unbecoming of an Omega Queen. It took a lot to piss off an Omega to this point, and it seemed that Ivan had crossed the line.

Ivan pulled his face away and glared over at Arthur, something almost feral about his eyes, and he held Alfred much more tightly and possessively in his hands, squeezing the poor boy. Hearing Alfred whine softly got Ivan to quickly release him, forcing himself back into a smile and pushing back his animalistic instincts. It wasn't his fault- Mother Clover had made him possessive.

Hurrying over to Alfred's side was Yao, gently tugging him away from Ivan. After all, they both knew it wasn't a good idea to be around when an Alpha was mad. Alphas were especially scary when they were angry. Ivan may have been smiling, but he was also rather good at hiding his true face. It was an old custom in Clover, one that died long ago but Yao was old enough to remember. Sweet and innocent smiles were nothing but fake. Someone that smiles so often obviously had different intentions. Yao didn't need to be reminded.

"A-Artie, it's alright! Come on-" Alfred went over to Arthur and wrapped him up in his arms, rubbing his cheek against the other's face. "See? We're all good. Everyone's safe. Ivan and I were just- just talking. Okay? Nothing to get all hurt over." He hummed and tried to lull his mate into a peace. It was as if Arthur could tell how Alfred had been feeling. The Spades were always a curious sort.

Ivan straightened himself out a bit, standing up a bit more properly. "Mne ochen' zhal'." If it hadn't been for the language classed Alfred was forced to take, he wouldn't know that Ivan was apologizing in Clover. Ivan nodded softly at the three Spadian royals, trying to express his sympathies- he didn't know what came over him. He did, however, figure out what smelled so off about Alfred.

He had smelled heat. Just the faintest licks of it, as if it had ended but two or three days ago. It made sense as of why Arthur must've been so insistent that he scent Alfred- Arthur must not have wanted anyone else to know that the Spade Queen just come out of a heat and wanted to cover up the lingering aura left on Alfred. Charming. How unfitting of a Queen, to have their heat left on their mate. The idea of Alfred fucking Arthur repeatedly was repulsive. If Ivan was able to smell it, then Arthur was truly careless when it came to modesty.

Arthur glared at Ivan, nuzzling up against Alfred- as it would be fitting for a distressed mate to do so- and he nudged Alfred to start leading him back inside. Embarrassment was as plain as day on Arthur's cheeks, his face redder than the Heart's banner.

"Ivan- nice ballet performance." Alfred muttered over his shoulder, "You should lose some weight before getting into spandex again though." He snorted, letting Arthur wrap his hands around his arm and bringing Arthur back into the castle. He needed to convince his partner that everything was alright, no one was hurt, and that the night should be one spent dancing and having fun and not trying to break character. They were all supposed to play happy royals, right? Some's roles were just a bit harder to play. Perhaps Mother Spade had mixed up the casting list.

Yao, who had been following his King and Queen, stopped at the edge of the gardens to look back. Ivan hadn't followed, and instead, had taken to sitting outside on one of the stone benches. Surely someone would notice that the host King wasn't at the ball? Feeling an urge to ask the tall Alpha to come back inside, Yao set his jaw and returned to following the path that lead farther away from Ivan. As soon as Yao was alone in the little hallway connecting the gardens to the ball room, the reassuring scent of tea and barbecue let him know that Alfred and Arthur had retired to their room. At least they were safe.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **This was originally requested on the Hetalia Kink Meme. This chapter is sort of cut into pieces, as the initial posting of the story was in three parts. And hey- Gilbert makes an appearance!

**Warnings: **Omegaverse, mention of yaoi and possessive urges.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters.

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><p>"Bloody hell, Alfred! Do you realise how close he was?!" Taking off his dancing robes, Arthur huffed at his mate and went to fetch their sleeping attire from their wardrobe. The room that the Spade royals had been assigned was a rather large one- not as large as the Clover royals' room, oh heavens no, and not as large as the one back home- and it was decorated in all sorts of greens, creams, and silvers to match the national colors. Practically everything had Clovers on it,<p>

and Arthur hated it.

The bed was placed up on a small platform with a tiny stair set of two steps separating it from the main floor. Green drapes lined the bed poles, giving the king-sized bed's occupants privacy when lowered. There were gold trimmings here and there on various furniture, but the prominent piece was the bed, and second to the bed was the door. Other than that, were was a closet, a wardrobe, a desk, and some lounge chairs, but no matter how grand the room was, it wasn't anything more than a glorified hotel room. The only thing even proving that the Spades were staying there was a small blue and purple banner outside the door and the suitcases that had been brought in by the servants.

"It's not like he could do anything!" Alfred whined, sitting on the edge of the bed and letting Yao undo his shoelaces. It wasn't that Alfred didn't know how to do it, it was just that Yao both tied them nicely at the perfect pressure and untied them smoothly as to not stretch the shoe. Sure- that was why. Alfred had been pampered like such since the Spade started showing on his neck. "We are bonded, remember? Just because Ivan doesn't have a bond doesn't mean he'll ruin ours."

"Don't underestimate him." Yao interjected, sliding Alfred's shoes off his feet and setting them aside.

Arthur tossed a towel onto the bed next to Alfred, frowning slightly at the mint color. Anything vaguely reminding him of Ivan's scent- whether it be the same word or not- was disgusting to him. Just as Ivan hated Arthur's scent, Arthur hated Ivan's. No wonder Ivan was alone- alcohol-soaked mint cookies and fried piroshky was a repulsive scent. Perhaps it was because they butted heads that Arthur's view on Ivan's scent was so twisted. Perhaps it was jealousy, or maybe possessiveness.

"Wash up. Get his scent off you." Arthur insisted, going toward the bathroom and even starting the bath for Alfred. He couldn't have his mate smelling even the faintest lick like Ivan.

Alfred groaned, taking the towel and going into the bathroom with a huff. "I better get something as payment for unnecessary bathing!" He grumbled back at Arthur, closing the door to the bathroom so he could undress. Mate or not, privacy was something Alfred was adamant about. Yao always said it was unbecoming of a King to strip so openly with others in the room.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Arthur put his forehead in his hands and let out a sigh. Things could've gone really badly, really fast. "Thank you, Yao, for getting me." He picked his face up and looked over to the Jack, who had taken to putting things away. Yao wasn't necessarily the one that was supposed to clean up after the royals, but he often found himself doing so in an almost motherly way. Without Yao, Alfred would be a wild second-grader that discovered the sugar bomb of an energy drink.

"He was practically forced to agree to Ivan." Yao recalled, hanging up Alfred's coat. "If he rejected... I think you and I both know what would have happened." He tidied up the general appearance of where Alfred had been and then sat down on one of the chairs. It wouldn't be proper for him to sit on the bed. Alfred and Arthur probably wouldn't want to have Yao's broken scent on their sheets. Yao could sit on his own bed in his own room.

"Ivan is a threat." Arthur growled softly. "Alfred isn't allowed around him alone. Be around him whenever I cant be- make sure Alfred's scent is strong enough that Ivan will be reminded that Alfred is mated." Standing up, Arthur ran a hand through his hair and started to undress, Yao handing him his night robes. While the King was unfit for stripping in a room with others, the Queen was supposed to be prepped by the Jack. While the relationship between Queen and Jack was stressed in Spade, the most recent monarchy seemed to focus more on King and Jack instead. Arthur did most of the work himself, but allowed Yao to help when he insisted. Arthur smiled softly as Yao parted his hair in a slightly neater way. "Alfred can be careless."

Nodding, Yao then set out Alfred's clothes. He took a few steps back as Arthur buttoned up his shirt, and Yao looked to the ground. "...I want to go back to Spades." He hated meetings in Clover. They were too painful- everything brought back memories. Everything always seemed to smell like Ivan. It was cold, the light left the sky all too fast, and it all just made Yao feel out of place. Clover was no place for a Spade. "P-Permission to retire to my room?" Yao asked, wrapping his arms around his midsection.

"Of course." Arthur smiled warmly, dismissing Yao. "Get some rest, you look pale."

* * *

><p>Ivan didn't return to the ball. Balls were for dancing, mingling, eating and drinking. He had no dancing partner other than Elisabeth, and he was sure she was off with Roderich somewhere. He had too much on his mind to mingle. Eating wasn't attractive at the moment, and surprisingly few of the drinks they were serving were alcoholic, so there wasn't a point to return and drink.<p>

Instead, he stayed on his little stone bench and reached over to one of the sunflowers that was growing in a plot next to the bench, bringing it over to him. Why couldn't he smell like sunflowers? Sunflowers were perfect- well, not as perfect as Alfred, but still pretty amazing. Sunflowers were so versatile... They were strong and stocky but delicate and fragile... not to mention useful in absorbing nuclear fallout. They reminded him of Alfred. Somehow.

"Geez, man, flowers again? Too unawesome for me."

Turning toward the source of the voice, Ivan found that he'd been joined by the Red Joker albino, Gilbert. Two little red horns and a tail adorned the leather-clad Beta, his scent that of a strongly-brewed beer from Hearts. Gilbert was sitting cross-legged on top of a hedge, watching Ivan. Because he didn't have any Mother Suit to be bound to- as there was no Mother Joker- Gilbert practically had free reign to do whatever he wanted. It was like he was a glitch, a cheat, in the Mother Suits' chess game. An oversight, a troublemaker, and to some, a myth. To Clover? Gilbert was all three.

"Not just any flower." Ivan insisted, placing the sunflower back where it belonged. "Perfect flower." He smirked, resting his hands behind his back. "Why did you come back? I thought you were going to try to dance. Try to."

"Elisabeth is real possessive, you know?" Gilbert frowned a tad, but his frown didn't stay for long as he broke out into a smile. "I figured since Roderich liked Betas, he'd be willing to try out the awesome me, but Elisabeth wouldn't let me near. You know, I wouldn't mind joining both of them, but, eh, it's not worth the trouble~" Gilbert shrugged, scratching the back of his neck.

Glancing back at the castle and trying to find the couple through the window, Ivan brushed it off. Gilbert was always trying to sneak into the castle and into the Jack's room. He was successful most of the time, but as soon as Roderich woke up, the fun usually ended there. Even when Roderich locked the door, Gilbert somehow, through some method, ended up waiting for him to merely turn around. The issue was brought up to the guards multiple times, but there was really no way of doing anything about the devilish trickster. Gilbert fully embraced his 'loophole' status and did as he pleased.

"Gilbert- you know my castle inside and out, right?"

"Yeah, duh." Gilbert scoffed, "I know every inch of this place."

"Then I need a favor. Of course, to make up for all the trouble you've caused us in the past."

* * *

><p>Getting in was the easy part- no sweat.<p>

Not only was it late at night, but there was the ball underway! People were drunk and giddy and focused on each other- not on the Joker riding the shadows and slipping through the halls. Further down the hallways, it was even easier due to less and less lighting as to help ease the royals into sleep. It was like an amusement park! Gilbert could slide down the banisters, run down the halls, and practically run up the walls. There were so many shadows that hid him like blind spots. Who wouldn't have fun like this?

The Spades' room was on third of the fourth staircases, below the Diamonds and above the Hearts. The Jacks' rooms were next to the Royals' rooms, slightly tucked out of the way and with much smaller banners outside of them. Silly Jacks, did they think they could have rooms as fancy as the King and Queen?

Since he couldn't really slide up a banister, Gilbert had to find a different way to travel. Stairs were lame. Banisters, however, were fun. Just in a downward direction, not an upward one.

Doesn't mean he couldn't fix that.

Gilbert smirked, jumping up onto the banister and kicking a foot back against it, as he would if he were sliding down it. With a snap of his thin, wicked tail, it was as if the entire world had rotated around his very being. The staircase was now leading down, as well as the banister, and he proceeded to skid down it, not even pretending to try to balance. Why would he need to balance if he could switch to his own existential plane and manipulate the world around him without harming anyone else's perception of the world? There was a reason the guards couldn't keep him from sneaking into the Jack of Clover's bedroom.

When he reached the bottom/top/end of the staircase, Gilbert merely flicked his tail a second time and straightened everything out. Now that he was at the top and didn't waste any of his awesome energy climbing lame stairs, he could get to the Spades' bedroom. It was such an odd request of Ivan's... Really? He wanted Gilbert to do exactly what he'd been scolded for doing? There had to be a double standard here somewhere. Whatever Ivan's intentions were, it was still a weird favor to ask.

After playing with the Spadian banner a bit, Gilbert slipped into the room. On his way back to Ivan, perhaps he could stop by the bedroom for the Jack of Clover. This silly little fetch quest was getting boring fast.

* * *

><p>"I still don't understand why you wanted the jacket."<p>

"That's not for you to understand."

"I still get my end of the deal, yeah?"

"Of course- you know the place."

"Heh heh, smell you later!"

Ivan forced a laugh, though it was pitiful more than anything. He watched the Joker deviously slip back into the castle, intent on harassing Roderich and Elisabeth. The King of Clovers practically cradled the mass of fabric in his hands, taking note to how it was ever so carefully folded. It was Alfred's jacket- he needed to take the utmost care of it. Things wouldn't go over so nicely if he messed with it too much, now would he?

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This was my first attempt at writing Gilbert, so I hope it didn't turn out too bad! And thank you, everyone who has commented on/favorited/followed this story! It means a lot to me~


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **This was originally requested on the Hetalia Kink Meme. Finally figuring out what Ivan wanted with that jacket~

**Warnings: **Omegaverse, mention of yaoi, mpreg and possessive urges.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>Since it was part of Alfred's attire as King, he must wear this jacket rather often, now, wouldn't he? It smelled like him even. The same faint smoky barbecue of summer that Ivan couldn't help but almost feel addicted to. What was it about that scent that was so...satisfying? Alluring? It was as if there was some sweet, sweet dream buried deep within that warmth of paradise. Surely Mother Spade left some sort of treasure in that King of hers- there was something to Alfred that was truly special. Maybe Mother Clover could lend Ivan a map. Ivan lent himself a moment or two, merely running his hands across the fabric to feel it, as if he were running his hands along the King of Spades himself.<p>

He'd have to have Gilbert return the jacket tomorrow. Or maybe he could convince Alfred he'd left it in the garden. That would be nice. Although, Arthur would likely throw a fit, snapping at Ivan for having an item of Alfred's, maybe even scolding Alfred for being careless. So this was happening. Ivan was going to return it himself and what the chaos unravel. The way Alfred's brow crinkled when he was being scolded and reprimanded was just- there was no word to describe the feeling it sent through Ivan.

Alfred seemed to be flustered often when Ivan was around as of recent. He was just another King, the same as Alfred. Why did Alfred and Arthur always seem so rushed and worried whenever Ivan got close? It was cute when Alfred did it, when they were alone. When Ivan could feel Alfred's hurried heartbeat whenever he touched his skin. When Alfred froze when they were so close, with Ivan's face in his neck...

Snapping out of his little fantasy, Ivan shook his head and turned his focus back on the jacket. He should hide it, perhaps in the gardens or in his own room. Wherever he hid it, he needed to hide it well. Running his hands along it, he took careful note of the delicate handiwork. It was classic Spadian suiting with a silk lining, the golden trim and black spades so delicately sewn into the fabric. There were a few standard pockets, one on the right breast, one at each hip, and one sewn into the lining under the left breast. Pretty predictable. He lifted the wad of fabric and brought it to his face, not quite touching, and he simply inhaled. This jacket may have been a part of Alfred, what with how much it smelled like him.

However, a small bulge in the jacket caught Ivan's attention. It was in such an odd place- there wasn't a pocket on the right side of his waist, but yet the little bump was there. Perhaps it was a pin or a key to something, and Ivan couldn't help but let his curiosity get the best of him. Maybe it was something he could claim he found in the garden and use as blackmail, having Gilbert sneak the jacket back so there was no evidence. Arthur would get even more frustrated with him, making even more of a 'situation'.

Now he really, really wanted to know what this was.

Looking around like a child to see if he was alone, he deemed it safe to continue. A seam seemed to be the only thing in his way, a few mere threads holding little resistance to his curiosity. It wasn't long before Ivan moved the thread out of the way and he was in the clear. He slipped a few fingers in, poking around for the object. Sure, he was snooping around in Alfred's jacket and, sure, he had to fix it when he was through with it, but that wouldn't be an issue. If he left it alone and tried to push the thought out of his mind, however, it would be an issue. A constantly resurfacing issue of his curiosity. When he managed to grab it, he knew it wasn't a pin. It was more like a small bottle, carefully sealed so it wouldn't spill. He took it out of the hidden pocket and inspected it. It was almost like cologne, a small A engraved in what looked like Alfred's handwriting. Had he done it himself? Surely this was a personal item. Alfred didn't seem to be one to engage in more artful hobbies, and it was apparent with the sloppy curves.

Ivan checked again to confirm that he was alone. He wanted to save the trouble for later. He wanted to see Alfred's flustered face in the morning, not now while he was tired from dancing and their little spat earlier. It would be a lovely sight before tomorrow's send off ceremony.

The little bottle had no other markings than the monogram. Alfred should really save the etchings to a professional- his handiwork was sloppy at best. It must be Alfred's cologne... Did that mean that the little something Ivan had been trying to find wasn't even his own scent, just added to it? What did Alfred really smell like? Ivan pulled the cork out of the top and took a whiff, frowning at the strong sting of a barbecue and leather, summer and sweat.

...It smelled like an Alpha.

Why would Alfred need such a strong cologne? Usually, Alphas didn't wear such strong scents. Besides, when Alfred was around, it wasn't strong at all. Perhaps Alfred only used a few drops for a day or something along those lines. Maybe he diluted it. But why would he wear it? The only other aspect of Alfred's scent that apparently was true was that little aspect Ivan was trying to piece together. That whiff of heat seemed to be the only true thing about the boy.

…

Wait, no.

That had to be wrong.

* * *

><p>Anthem of Heart. Diamond. Spade.<p>

Anthem of Clover.

The Grand Ballroom was once again filled with the different visiting nobles, The Kings, Queens, and Jacks all lined up before the stage as the King, Queen, and Jack of Clover were to bid them farewell. It was a simple formality, but also a tradition unique to Clover. The foreign nobles were all presented with a simple token depicting one of the Kingdom's symbols but in a Clover-esque style. The King of Diamonds, an Alpha by the name of Bonnefoy, received a piece of marble carved into the shape of a lily. Beilschmidt, King of Heart, was given a cherry blossom token. This year, flowers were chosen for the tokens, the tokens being a subtle reminder that someday, the other Kingdoms would be assimilated into Clover. But that was ridiculous. It was merely a gift.

When it came to the gift to Spade, it wasn't given to the King. Alfred had appeared to be absent.

As tradition, the gifts were supposed to be presented to the Alpha Kings. There was no way Ivan was going to present Arthur, the Omega Queen, with a gift. That was absurd! Instead, Ivan had Elizaveta give it to Arthur, as well as have Gilbert return the jacket.

There was too much on his mind to get even close to Arthur, nor reveal what he'd found.

Watching the different escorts leave the Clover estate, Ivan found himself short of breath. When he had the option, he dismissed the Queen and Jack, wanting time to himself. Barely anyone went to the gardens unless they were tending to the flora, so he could hide out there. Upon entering through the marble columns, Ivan sent away the gardeners. No one was going to clean where he and Alfred had been.

He could almost still smell him there. The faintest smoke lingered on the bushes and on the wall, right were Alfred had frozen under his touch. It made sense now, why he had frozen...

But Alfred couldn't really be an Omega, could he? Alfred was a King! Kings were always Alphas!

Yao always followed him to the meetings. Had that just been a ploy? So that if anyone smelled the faintest whiff of an Omega, they'd blame Yao for being a defective Omega that can't control his scent? Granted, Yao's scent wasn't as special anymore- it wasn't unique, but broken. He merely smelled of a used and cast aside Omega. Maybe Alfred had been using him as cover since no one would recognise his scent, if detected, and Yao's story had been long covered up and hidden, leaving his scent practically for rent.

Did that mean Arthur was the Alpha? Just because Alfred's nature was out of whack didn't mean that Arthur's was too! Sure, he lead the dance. Sure, he was an annoying Omega. Sure, he was a bit dominant when it came to controlling what Alfred did. Sure, he-

… Ivan rubbed his face in frustration. This was too early for such thoughts. He hadn't even had a drink yet.

Maybe that was why Arthur's scent had been so foul. It was why Ludwig's and Francis's smelt terrible too. Alphas never smelled nice to each other. Why had Ivan been able to pick up on Arthur's stank of a scent while the others hadn't? Surely Arthur had taken the precaution and used a fake scent as well, his of an Omega. Why was Ivan able to pick up on the act?

Did this... Did this mean that all those... All those feelings and urges of sorts regarding the Spade King had been true? Ivan had been pining for him! After all, he was mateless and wanted a bit of that life again. Alfred smelled damn good, too. He was strong and confident, childish and handsome- he'd be the perfect mother of a pup-

Ivan needed to find a way for Alfred to become his. Of course, he'd keep it a secret, up until Alfred was ready to pop with his children. That would be a sight- the 'proud, Alpha' King of Spades mothering a pup. Just thinking of it brought a smile to Ivan's lips. He could see Alfred now, curled up in a nest in the Spade Castle, awaiting Arthur to come and get rid of the damned ache in his hips, but Ivan would come instead and claim him, taking him away from that eyebrowed brat of a Queen.

Maybe Ivan could finally have a family.

"You wanted a vodka, Vanya?"

The voice seemed to come straight out of his domestic daydream. Turning, he frowned at the nickname and seeing that it wasn't Alfred to use it. No mere labourer had the right to use his name so affectionately! Though, once he noticed that it was the Ace, Natalia, his own sister, he allowed it.

"You know me so well." Ivan murmured, accepting the bottle and sitting down on the bench he had just the night before when the Joker had come along, exchanging his services for permission into the Jack's room.

Natalia smiled softly, going over to stand by him. Her brother was a bit of an odd one, but she had a similar, twisted mentality, so she could understand him to a point. "You are predictable." She and her brother never had much time together, what with Ivan being King and her only the Ace, not even royalty, but she treasured it when they did. When she was younger, she used to come up with these wild fantasies where she was the Queen and could marry him, just so they could finally see each other at the dinner table and throughout the day.

"That's what Yao thought," Ivan pointed out, "and look how that turned out." He wanted to laugh at his own joke, but the subject of a family wasn't always a subject he could laugh at.

"That wasn't entirely your fault." Natalia insisted, reaching to pat his shoulder gently. "You both were young. You shouldn't blame yourself."

"Natalia, how would you feel if you were an aunt?" Ivan asked, changing the topic and taking a swing of his drink. "And I mean for longer than a few minutes."

She blinked at him a few times, as if caught off-guard from his question. Her soft scent of blueberries and family, as Ivan saw her as and therefore registered her as not a competing Alpha, reflected her surprise as well. "Ivan, I still am an aunt. Just because... that happened... doesn't mean that you aren't a father and I'm not an aunt."

That hadn't been what he was looking for. "I'm going to look for a mate again. Not any of these damn broads, dressing themselves up in suits and dresses hoping I take a liking to them." He stood up, finishing off the bottle and setting it down with a thud, nearly breaking the glass.

"Really then, do you have a mate in mind?"

"A perfect mate in mind." He nodded determinedly, the goal of making Alfred his engraved in his mind. "And you will breathe a word of this to no one." He added firmly, looking her dead in the eye.

"Of course." Looking away, Natalia let out a small breath. Ivan was getting a bit desperate, wasn't he? How would he be able to handle a mate again? Didn't the whole ordeal last time prove that he wasn't cut out for being a mate nor a father?

Ivan smiled, then leaned over to give Natalia a soft kiss on the cheek. "Just like when we were little." Not only did their secret-keeping bring back memories, but so did that small little kiss. He and his sisters used to be so close, as well as their little family they had made for themselves, long before Mother Clover had made their destinies in the castle clear. It was a shame that everything had seemed to fall apart once it got so good.

Ivan would make sure that his fantasy of having Alfred wasn't going to fall apart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **This was originally requested on the Hetalia Kink Meme. This chapter is kind of short, but it's kind of a exposition here for Ivan's past. And there's a little, decently fluffy moment for Alfred and Art. We're coming up on some super sneaky-sneak plans for both sides in the next few chapters.

**Warnings: **Omegaverse, mention of yaoi and mpreg, mention of an infant's death, and possessive urges.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>Alfred was really going to be his, wasn't he? No more of these 'chance encounters', glances at meetings, and small talk at Unity Balls as their only interactions. Ivan wanted Alfred for more than just that.<p>

He returned to his chambers at the end of the day. His big, empty room filled with emerald and mint tones, marble furniture and golden trimmings, all smelling of the same vodka mint. The same, boring scent. Assistants and servers were, by regulation, covered in generic scents as to not distract the King from his work. Honestly, he couldn't tell which were of what nature- they all smelled the same. There needed to be something to brighten it up. One can go for so many days alone before they want a companion again.

Ivan cast off his formal attire, removing the great coat and hanging it up, leaving him in his dark green trousers and cream undershirt. Keeping the closet door open, he awaited the day where there would be another collection of clothing joining his. Alfred would look dashing in green, wouldn't he? Perhaps he could continue wearing a few blue items. The lighter shades brought out his eyes more, after all. The creams would accent his highlights in his hair. Whatever color Alfred would end up wearing, Ivan would make sure that he was that perfect, spirited boy that allured him so.

Reaching into the bottom of the closet, Ivan knelt down and pulled out a wooden box, buried under blankets and papers and old memories. It was in surprisingly good shape, but being tucked away for years on end didn't put much stress on wood, so perhaps it wasn't that surprising after all. The lock was decently aged, it's color faded a bit. It still worked, so that was good. The hinges creaked a bit when he undid the latch and opened it, but there was no need to silence it.

Yao's old scent hit him hard. Ivan smirked softly, reminded of the way Yao so admired the spiciness of his own scent. He used to smell like a fresh stir-fry, all the seasonings perfectly balanced with a good dash of heat that made Ivan keep going back. Nowadays, there was no charm, no spice, no...anything. Yao was bland, just like the crumpets the Spade Queen insisted on being edible.

There was a sense of nostalgia about it.

Ivan moved a few of the items, most of the box's contents being letters they had exchanged during the course of their bond together. Had Yao kept his old love letters? Ivan kept every single one of them, aside from a few that had been destroyed in a small fire when he kept them in the study. Right now, the only reason he kept them was the scent. Not Yao's scent, no.

Ivan pulled out a small, indigo cloth and held it gently in his hand, closing the box to focus on the smell that it still held. It didn't smell so much of Yao, but more of himself, his old scent when he had a mate. This is what he'd smell like with Alfred. It'd be stronger again. It would carry all the love of a bond, all the caring of a mate, and all what he wanted to receive from Alfred. Alfred's true mate scent was probably divine. Ivan wasn't sure what aspects of Alfred's scent were true, what with all the cologne. He'd have to find out on his own someday, and someday soon. Hopefully that smoky aspect was still there. That would probably be Ivan's favorite part.

And then there was that cream swatch.

…

No matter how much Ivan tried to forget about it, he couldn't just throw it away.

It still smelled like his baby daughter. His tiny little Klara. Ivan could only describe her scent as being that of a warm marshmallow. She was fluffy and sweet- it was a shame that she never had the chance to grow up.

Would his and Alfred's child smell so sweet? Would he have a child to hold instead of a simple piece of cloth? Ivan's chest tied itself in knots as he ran his thumb across the cream cotton, and it got to the point that he had to place it back in the box and back in the closet. He couldn't let the emotions hit him so hard. All the guilt, the shame, the sadness and longing...

He'd never have to go through that again. He promised Mother Clover. He promised Alfred.

Now he just needed to get a plan together.

* * *

><p>"Sorry..." Alfred sat on the edge of his own bed, now that they were back in Spades, his head hung low.<p>

"You shouldn't be so careless- do you understand what could have happened?!" Arthur scolded him, reaching into the fabric and pulling out the very same small bottle of cologne that Ivan had held. "You left this behind! You'd might as well have shown yourself off to the world!" He motioned the bottle at Alfred's face, as if to rub in his shame. He set it down on the bedside table with a loud thud, growling under his breath.

As Arthur went on rambling about how careless and childish he was, Alfred tossed himself backward onto the bed. The sapphire sheets never seemed so inviting. He reached up and fiddled with one of the gold tassels that held the canopy aside, distracting himself from his lecture. If he threw a pillow, would he be able to hit the domed ceiling? Or maybe just the golden crowning? He could hit the door to the balcony from here for sure. How many pillows would it take to fill the room? Probably a few hundred. Could he fit a hundred in his personal room? It was already stuffed with blankets and pillows from the last heat, so he could probably fit a good fifty or so more.

"Alfred, are you paying attention?!" Arthur growled, approaching the side of the bed.

"I get it, I get it, I get it, alright?" Alfred grumbled, curling up on his side and finding a way to nuzzle under the blankets. "I don't want to talk about it, okay?" Couldn't Arthur just accept that?

Frowning, Arthur managed to wiggle his way under the blankets as well. He curled up behind Alfred, wrapping him up in an embrace and kissing the back of his neck. "Please, love, I just want you safe." He insisted, his voice much softer, his scent warm and sweet and comforting. Alfred truly was the top priority, and in that, protecting Alfred came first as well. "Can you imagine what it would be like if someone found out...? All the years of trying to keep it a secret... The generations before us swore their lives to protecting this secret..."

Alfred shivered slightly, snuggling back up against Arthur and holding on to the other's arms. "...Artie, I...I don't feel comfortable going to Clover." He admitted quietly. "I-I'm not afraid- no! Only babies get afraid. I'm not afraid, just- i don't like the color green."

"...Alfred, my eyes are green."

"N-Not that shade! I like _your_ green, not the _Clover_ green." Alfred quickly clarified, "And you don't have it absolutely everywhere. Blue and purple are much better than green and more green." He insisted, and then after a long pause added, "...I think Ivan is onto us." He could feel it. He had this inkling that he couldn't shake, and if he'd ever admit to being nervous, it would likely be now. But not out loud of course! Only in his head, where only he could hear it.

Arthur let out a breath, holding onto his mate tighter. "I won't let him hurt you, alright?" He cooed into the other's ear, then went about rubbing his cheek against the King's neck, strengthening his scent to soothe him. It worked, and visibly too, as the tenseness in Alfred's shoulders slowly melted away. "I swear to Mother Spade that you will be safe as long as I am with you."


End file.
